Internal-combustion engine.



F. SNYDER.

INTERNAL coMusTloN ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I6. 1914.

Patented Mar. 7,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET I EZ .HT wwwa/EM F. SNYDER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 16. |914.

1,174,632. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tron/vin F. SNYDER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLlcAmN m50 Nov. le. |914.

1,174,632, Patented Mar. 7,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FEANK SNYDER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

'INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

,Specication of Letters Patent. y

Patented Mar. *7, i916.

application and. Noirember is, 1914. sensi no. 872,383.

To all who'm t may concern:

Be it-ltnown that I, FRANK SNYDER, a citizen of v'the United States, and resident of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented, new and useful Improvements in internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to Acertain improvements in internal combustion engines .of the rotary piston type in which the bore -of the cylinder andpiston revolving therein are cylindrical and co-axial, except that the piston is provided with peripheral pockets registering successively with the fuel inlet and exhaust ports and coperating with a suitable plunger which serves to compress the fuel admitted to said pockets when registered withthe fuel inlet, preparatory to ignition immediately following the register of the pockets with the plunger, or while the plunger isstill in its compressing lposition in either'of the pockets.

The main object is to produce a simple, compact and highly elicient engine of this type at a comparatively low cost by utilizing the'piston to control the fuel inlet and exhaust ports, and thereby obviating the use of valves, and also by utilizing the pockets in the piston as portions of the compression chamber inwhieh the explosive mixture is compressed and ignited while under oo mpression, thereby utilizing the expansive force of the ignited mixture directly agalnst the heads of the piston formed by said pockets to effect a continuous rotation of the plston in the same direction.

Another object is to utilize the plunger for the double purpose of compressing the explosive mixture in the pockets of the piston and opposing the expansive force of the Aignited mixture. between said plunger an either head of the rotarypiston.

A further object is to synchronize the movement of the plunger with that of the piston, so as to cause it to positively enter and leave the pockets successively at the proper time to effect the desired compression of the explosive mixture and oppose the expansive whereby such force will be applied directly to the heads, of the rotary piston for impelling the same in the same direction.

force of vthe same when ignited, g

Other objects and uses relating-.to specific parts of theengine will be brought out. inlv the following description. y

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a top plan and a side elevation of a rotary internal combustion engine, embodyingthe various features'of my invention. Fig. 3 is an end view of the vsame engine showing more particularly the cam operated lever foroperating the plunger, the cam being omitted. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the engine taken on line 6 6, Fig. 1, showing particularly the plun- .ger and its operating means'. Fig. 7 is a face view on a reducedy scale of the piston shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 8 is a .detail sectional view of the .roller-end of the plunger operating lever which engages the cam.l Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are detail sectional views similar to Fig. 4, showing the rotary-pistonand plunger in three different positions, viz; the firing, position; that in which one of the pockets begins to exhaust the spent gases and the other pocket is taking in 'a fresh charge of the explosive mixture; and that in which the plunger is beginning to compress such charge in one ofthe pockets.

As illustrated, this engine comprises a stationary cylinder, -1-, having a cylin-v drical bore T2- a valveless f uel inlet port -3- and a, valveless exhaust port -4-, said'cylindenbeing provided with removable end heads -5- which are secured to the adjacent ends of the main body by bolts -6- and are provided with central co-axial bearings f-7 for receiving and supporting a shaft -8-, carrying a cylindrical piston municating with the bore -2- of the cylinder between the inlet port -3- and exhaust port -atin the direction of movement of the rotary piston -9-.

rlhe rotary piston -9 is of substantially the same diameter and length as the interior bore of the cylinder' so as to establish a close running joint therewith, and is provided near itsends with annular grooves for receiving packing rings l5- to further prevent leakage of the gases which may be introduced into the cylinder between said ends. The rotary piston -9- is provided with diametrically opposite eccentric surfaces depressed to form peripheralpockets I6- and is also provided with circumferentially extending concentric surfaces. which carry the packing rings -15- and terminate at their advance ends in abrupt substantial radial abutments l" which are diametrically opposite andy constitute piston lheads against which the expanded gases impinge to impel the piston rotarily in one direction, the radial depth of the remaining portions of each pocket being gradually diminished circumferentially from the heads -l-e until the eccentric surfaces merge with the concentric peripheral portions of the piston. The circumferential length of the inner end of the compression chamber approximates one-fourth of the circumference of the bore of the cylinder, while the concentric surfaces of the rotary piston approximate in length that of the inner end of the compression chamber, and the circumferential lengthsof the eccentric surfaces is slightly greater than that of the concentric surfaces so las to`produce with a portion of the bore an ignition chamber for the spark plug just in advance of the compression chamber, or between said compression chamber and exhaust port.

The distance between the inlete'port and farther side of the compression chamber is greater than the length of the eccentric surface of the rotary piston so that the inlet will be cut ofi' by the piston before the advance ends of the fuel-receiving pockets are registered' with the ignition chamber or spark plug, although it is to be understood that the pocket serves as a means of connection between the inlet and compression chamber as soon as the advance end of each pocket leaves the inlet and until the following concentric portion of the rotary piston closes the inlet. It will also be observed that the distance between the compression chamber and exhaust is less than the circumferential length of the eccentric surfaces of the rotary piston, thus permitting the spent gases to exhaust on one side ofthe piston, while the explosive mixture is being drawn in at the opposite side, communication between the inlet and exhaust being cut off by the concentric portions of said piston. The

`concentric portions of the periphery of the rotary piston are also provided. with lengthwise grooves extending between the innermost packing rings `l5- for receiving additional packing strips --l5- and further 'prevent'leakage of the gases around said piston.

The compression chamber 13- and plunger -l1tare preferably rectangular in cross section to prevent turning of the plunger which latter i's provided with a convex inner face -18- conforming as nearly as possible to the curvature of the bottom of the pockets -16- and concentric portions of the periphery of the piston, so as to fit closely to the bases of the pockets when the plunger is at the limit of its inner movement for effecting the maximum degree of compression of the explosive mixture previously admittcd'to the pocket into which the plunger may be forced, as shown more clearly in Figs. t and 9.

The perimeter of the plunger -14 is provided with one or more grooves for receiving packing rings -20- to prevent leakage of the gases around said plunger which is adapted to it closely within the compression chamber to further avoid such leakage, This plunger is reciprocated in synchronism .with the movement of the rotary piston in such manner as to cause it to enter the pockets 16- as they are successively registered therewith, and for this purpose is connected by pitmen -2lto crank-arms -22- on a rock-shaft -23- which is journaled in suitable bearings in the upper portion of one side of the casing -12- and is provided with a relatively long operating lever --211- external to the casing and. cylinder and having its free end provided with a roller bearing -25- riding in a cam groove -96- in the adjacent side of the cani wheel -10 This cam groove is continuous, but is composed in this instance of two similar parts, one for each of .the pockets '-16- and each adapted to effect a complete reciprocal operation of the plunger 14-, so as to cause said plunger to enter each pocket as it is registered with the compression chamber after receiving a charge of the explosive mixture by its previous registration with the fuel inlet -3-. It, therefore, follows that the plunger completes two cycles of movement during each revolution of the piston and that immediately upon the movement of each piston head -17- past the compression chamber,

the plunger is caused to descend quickly by the particular form of the cam. operating the same to compress the previously admitted charge of the explosive mixture in that particular pocket into a comparatively small space between what may be termed the front face of the plunger and piston head -17-, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 9, at which space is located a spark plug Q7-f adapted to be connected to any suitable Source of electric energy to ignite the compressed gases at about the same time that the plunger reaches the limit of its inward stroke, it being understood that the ignition may be regulated by anylsuitable timing device not necessary toherein illustrate or describe.

The operation is as follows, assuming that the plunger -14- is in its extreme inner position in approximate contact with the base of one of the pockets -16- for compressing the previously admitted explosive mixture into the relatively small space -between the head of said pocket and adjacent side of the plunger, as shown in Fig. 4, and that the compressed gases have just been ignited.- It then follows that the expansive force of the gases upon the adjacent head -17- of the piston will rotate said piston in the direction indicated by arrow #X-, by reason of the fact that the plunger -14- then resists such expansive force and causes it to act in one direction only away from theV plunger or against theadjacent head -17-- of the piston -9-. As the piston head advances away from the plunger toward the exhaust -4-, the space in the pocket between said head and plunger becomes enlarged, thereby gradually diminishing the expansive force which has already performed its work by the time the head -17 reaches said exhaust port to exhaust the spent gases, thus allowing the plunger to be raised slowly, but still maintaining relativley close contact between the base of the pocket and face of the plunger. During this initial `operation of the piston, the opposite piston head -17- will have moved" across the inlet -3- to register the corresponding pocket -16- with said inlet, the movement of the head across the inlet servi ing to create a partial vacuum to draw in varied and that the piston may be extended l lengthwise and provided with additional sets of pockets operating in conjunction with corresponding plungers, all of which changes arel comprehended in this application, and therefore, I do not limit myself to the preci'se .construction shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having a circular bore and a compression chamber tangential thereto, said cylinder having a valveless inlet port and an exhaust port, a rotary piston movable in said bore and having a concentric surface of substantially thesame radius as that of the bore, and a depressed eccentric surface, a reciprocatory piston movable in the compression'chamber and co- A operating with the eccentric surface to compress the fuel, and-means for synchronizing the movement ofthe reciprocatory piston with that of the rotary piston.

2. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having a circular bore and a compression chamber tangential thereto, said cylinder having a valve` less inlet port and an exhaust port, arotary piston movable in said bore and having diametrically opposite concentric surfaces and opposite intervening eccentric surfaces, a reciprocatory piston movable in the compression chamber and coperating with the eccentric surfaces to compress the fuel, and means for synchronizing the movement of the reciprocatory piston` with that of the rotary piston.

3. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having acircular bore and a compression chamber extending from a plane tangential to one side of the bore to a plane near that of a radial line'drawn through the center of the bore parallel with the tangential side, said cylinder having an inlet port and an exhaust wardly with increased speed `to accelerate the entrance of the explosive mixture between the base of that pocket and the adjacent face of the plunger Vuntil the rotary piston assumes approximately the position' shown in Fig. `11, whereupon the plunger begins to descend with such speed as to enter such .pocket at about the same time the corresponding piston head l7 passes out from under the plun er, whereupon the continued' movement o the plunger into the pocket produces a high degree of compressionof the explosive mixture therein by the time the corresponding piston head has passed the spark terminals of the plug port, a rotarypistonhaving portions of" its surface concentric and approximating in length the corresponding length ofthe inner end of the compression chamber and eccentric portions of greater length than the concentric portions, a reciprocatory piston movable in the compressionvchamber, and means for synchronizing the movement of the reciprocatory piston with that ofthe rotary piston.

4. In a rotary internal combustion engine,

izo`

side of the compression chamber and eX- haust, a reciprocatory piston movable in the compression chamber and having its inner face curved to'conform to the eccentric faces of the rotary piston and gradually increasing in length from the ra dial side of the compression chamber to the tangential side thereof, and means for synchronizing the movement of the reciprocatory piston with that of the rotary piston.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set 23 my hand this 3d day of November 1914.

FRANK SNYDER.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, ALICE M. CANNON. 

